Butler shot just 29% from three-point range against the Golden Eagles. Photo by Jada Gangazha.

SAWYER GOLDWEIN | MANAGING EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu 

The men’s basketball team marched into Milwaukee on National Marquette Day and was sent home with a 70-55 loss to the Golden Eagles.

Despite Marquette’s struggles throughout this season, the energy inside Fiserv Forum was palpable from the opening tip-off and it translated to the court. The Golden Eagles forced four Butler turnovers before the first media timeout, leading to their first seven points and a significant early momentum advantage.

After a 3-of-12 start from the field, Butler inched back into the game by forcing tough shots, turning the Eagles’ offense as ugly as the Dawgs’ had been. Then, a spark from junior guard Finley Bizjack pulled Butler ahead momentarily.

Still, a series of defensive miscommunications allowed Marquette to find a rhythm, heading into halftime with a four-point lead.

Things turned ugly for Butler shortly after halftime, as injuries to first-year guard Stink Robinson and redshirt sophomore forward Jamie Kaiser Jr left the Dawgs with a glaring lack of offensive options. The Eagles converted on their first three longballs and six of their first seven field goals, neutralizing the effects of Bizjack’s two quick triples. Head coach Shaka Smart’s team stretched its lead to as many as 17 points, leaving the Bulldogs in an unrecoverable situation.

Bizjack finished with a team-high 23 points and five rebounds, while graduate forward Michael Ajayi trudged through the game to the tune of eight points, 19 boards and five turnovers, shooting just 3-for-15 from the field. No other Bulldog had more than eight points.

For Butler, it is a fourth-straight loss, dropping the Dawgs to 4-9 in the Big East ahead of a home game against No. 3 UConn.